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Pennsylvania State University

State College, United States

  • Cost of Living$ 19,944
  • Tuition Fee From$ 23,904
  • Country Rank-
  • Batch Strength89,816
  • Global Diversity-
  • Gender Ratio-

Overview

About

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State or PSU, is a public land-grant research university with locations all around Pennsylvania. Penn State was established in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, and in 1863 it became the only land-grant institution in the state. In the modern era, PSU is a significant research institution that engages in teaching, research, and public service. Undergraduate, graduate, professional, and continuing degree programs are all offered through resident instruction and online delivery as part of its instructional mission.

 

The University Park campus has been dubbed as one of the "Public Ivies," a publicly funded university that is thought to offer educational standards on par with those of the Ivy League. It is one of just four colleges in the country to have the titles of land grant, sea grant, space-grant, and sun grant. The Borough of State College and College Township contains its largest and administratively most important campus. It has two law schools: Dickinson Law in Carlisle and Penn State Law on the university's University Park campus. There are 19 commonwealth campuses and 5 special-mission campuses spread out over Pennsylvania, including PSU, which is one university that is physically dispersed throughout the state.

 

Ranking

The university has ranked among many top platforms for its academic excellence, quality of education, student satisfaction and a number of courses that ranked at the top. Below are Pennsylvania State University rankings for 2022 by the Times higher Education, ARWU/Shangai Rankings, QS World Rankings, etc -

 

  • 40th - 54th in the ARWU National Rankings
  • 141st in Times Higher Education’s US College Rankings
  • 44th in US UNI Rankings by QS
  • 323rd in Forbes America’s Top Colleges
  • 141st in the Wall Street Journal National Rankings
  • 175th in the Washington Monthly National Rankings
  • 101st - 150th in the ARWU Global Rankings

 

Course Rankings:

Pennsylvania State University courses have been ranked by QS WUR Subject rankings, take a look at some below -

QS WUR Subject Rankings 2022:

  • QS Arts & Humanities: #116
  • QS Computer Science & Information Systems: #103
  • QS Business & Management Studies: #66
  • QS Nursing: #35
  • QS Medicine: #130
  • QS Psychology: #54
  • QS Social Sciences & Management: #77
  • QS Engineering & Technology: #77
  • QS Sociology: #80
  • QS Mathematics: #85
  • QS Psychology: #54

Year

QS Ranks

US News Ranks

2025

#89

-

2023

#93

#84

2022

#96

#84

Facilities

Many researchers from all over PSU’s disciplines have access to state-of-art facilities, where they get together to solve problems affecting the world. The Automated Calorimetry Facility, Cell Culture Facility, Center For Quantitative Imaging, Computational And Spatial Analysis Core, Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility, CSL Behring Fermentation Facility, Flow Cytometry Facility, Genomics Core Facility, etc are some of the core facilities provided at the university for students. Here are some of the Pennsylvania State University facilities in detail -

Student Organisations

There were 860+ recognized student organizations on the University Park campus. Additionally, roughly 12% of University Park's population participates in these organizations and the university also has one of the biggest Greek systems in the nation. THON and Lions Pantry are two of the popular ones among students -

  • THON: The largest student-run charity in the world, the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), attracts thousands of students each February. 

  • Lions Pantry: An on-campus food pantry run by undergraduate students is The Lion's Pantry (and a registered student organization).

Student Media

The LION 90.7 FM (WKPS-FM) (a student-run radio station), CommRadio (a student-run, internet-based radio program), The Daily Collegian (a student-run newspaper), Onward State, The Underground (a multi-cultural student media site), La Vie (the university's annual student yearbook), Kalliope (a student-produced literary journal), Valley (a student-run style and life magazine) and Phroth are some of the universities media facilities

Notable Alumni

Lara Spencer
Lara Spencer
Television Presenter
Ty Burrell
Ty Burrell
American Actor
John Aniston
John Aniston
Greek-American Actor

Courses

Admission

Acceptance Rate

Pennsylvania State University acceptance rate is very selective and stands at 55%. The university enrols around 88,914+ students annually, making it one of the biggest universities in the country. The largest student-run philanthropy in the world, the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is held each year at the university. The Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus is where this event is hosted. The Penn State Nittany Lions are the name of the university's Division I athletic teams, which participate in the Big Ten Conference in the majority of their sports.

 

Learn More About: Pennsylvania State University Acceptance Rate

 

Pennsylvania State University Entry Requirements

PSU requires a number of documents for international students to complete throir application process. First-year international applicants need to complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), this excludes transfer students. Students can submit their applications for both undergraduate and graduate programs through the MyPennState portal with an application fee of $75. The list of Pennsylvania State University entry requirements are mentioned below -

 

​Undergraduate ​Admission Requirements:

  • Official transcripts
  • Personal statement
  • A minimum GPA of 3.59/4 which is approximately 91% (recommended)
  • SAT/ACT scores (test-optional)
  • English language test scores – TOEFL, IELTS
  • Portfolio (if applicable)
  • Standardized test scores

 

Postgraduate Admission Requirements:

  • Academic transcripts
  • GMAT/GRE scores
  • Statement of Purpose (SOP)
  • English Language Proficiency Test Scores -
    • TOEFL iBT: A minimum score of 80
    • IELTS: Minimum score of 6.5
  • Essays
  • Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
  • CV/Resume
  • Passport

 

Pennsylvania State University Fees

The cost of tuition is a very important factor, especially for international students who are moving abroad to study. More than 160+ undergraduate majors, 200+ minors, and 100+ undergraduate certificate programs are available at PSU. The university’s Board of Trustees set a cost for fees every year in the month of July. Summer tuition is billed on a per credit basis which is up to 12 credits. While choosing these programs, students need to take into consideration Pennsylvania State University fees for each program per year to budget their finances -

  • Project Management: $30,210
  • Public Health: $40,016
  • Computer Science: $35,984
  • Energy Engineering: $35,984
  • Business: $50,788
  • Computer Science: $38,622

 

Placements

International students have access to fantastic Pennsylvania State University placements. The average salaries range from $83,000 - $1,50,000 for various international students who are admitted to the university. The highest average yearly compensation for graduates working in Compliance, AML, KYC, and Monitoring is $1,95,000. 

 

Internship participation is promoted as a component of meteorological education for students. Students must put in at least 135 hours during their whole internship to get three credits (essentially, 45 hours per credit). The student's adviser will establish the final grade for the internship course, which will be based on weighing the appraisal from the internship supervisor and the adviser's evaluation of the written paper that summarises the internship experience. Students must thoughtfully and reflectively address each of the requirements outlined in the internship contracts even though there is no set minimum or maximum word count for the paper. Each student must meet with their adviser and come to an understanding of the paper requirements before enrolling in an internship course and before starting the internship experience. Internships can be used as professional electives for up to six credits. Only students who choose the General Option are eligible to use Meteo 395 as a professional elective.

Scholarship

Regardless of the program you are studying, there are several scholarship opportunities provided by the university as well as other organizations. With so many scholarships available now, overseas students can greatly lower the financial burden of studying in a new country. You can apply for scholarships to study at the Pennsylvania State University through UniScholars. You can find the following types of scholarships based on your academic performance and financial situation:

 

  • Merit-based scholarships
  • Need-based scholarships
  • Country-specific scholarships
  • College-specific scholarships
  • Student-specific scholarships

Finances

Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds to obtain a visa. While some students may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the Pennsylvania State University. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!

Accommodation

There are several student housing options available for students planning to attend the Pennsylvania State University. You may select from a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, en-suites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.

 

UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from a wide range of available student accommodations near the university, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are more inexpensive and student-friendly.

Cost of Living

Pennsylvania has a 1% cheaper cost of living than the rest of the US. While utilities are 8% more expensive than the national average, housing is 9% less expensive. Compared to the rest of the country, the cost of groceries is about 1% greater than it is for clothing and other needs like food. Here is a rundown of the cost of living in State College, Pennsylvania -

Item

Cost (Per Month)

Off-Campus Accommodation

$1,034

On-Campus Accommodation

$1,040

Transportation

$73

Food 

$401

Utility 

$144

Entertainment

$42

Groceries

$36

Clothes

$76

Health Insurance

$80

Total Cost of Living with Off-Campus Accommodation (Per Month)

$1,886

Total Cost of Living with On-Campus Accommodation (Per Month)

$1,892

Annual Cost of Living

$22,632

FAQs